Annual spring conference empowers local women in business

Women from West Valley, Kearns and Taylorsville gather together to learn new techniques to succeed in business. (Aimee Rice)

By Keyra
Kristoffersen | Keyrak@mycityjournals.com

ChamberWest held its annual Spring into Success Conference for women in
business at the Utah Cultural Celebration Center on April 10 in West Valley
City.

"The reason why we have so much energy behind our Women
in Business Conference is because of the passion in our Women in Business
committee and their ability to put together a first-class program that really
provides professional development and networking opportunities for women in our
community," said Barbara Riddle, the president and CEO of ChamberWest for
the last two years.

ChamberWest serves West Valley City, Taylorsville and Kearns
and the conference saw 135 attendees from businesses around the valley. A
raffle was available to win handmade lap quilts with donations going toward the
Granite Education Foundation—a 501c.3 non-profit comprised of community and
business leaders that seek to support the Granite School District in providing
school and physical necessities and academic support to students in need. The
Granite Education Foundation addressed the group about the needs of children in
the area.

"It was a sobering presentation on what the needs are,
and there are many in our community and how our businesses can get involved and
engage," said Riddle.

Stacey Bess was the 2018 Keynote speaker for the conference
and gave a presentation on her work with homeless children through the book “Nobody
Don't Love Nobody” about her teaching math, reading, and positive self-worth at
the School With No Name, a school located within the Salt Lake Community
Shelter and Resource Center.

In addition to the main addresses and lunch held in the
ballroom area, mini breakout sessions were held in smaller classrooms in a
variety of topics. Tannen Ellis-Graham with human resources company,
CareerKarma360, talked about business branding to attract millennials, the
future of talent acquisition and employer branding. Cynthia Bee instructed on
the use of social media for content creation from a beginner's standpoint.

"Her position is with the Jordan Valley Conservancy
District, she kind of learned social media through trial and error and is
really able to provide insight into how to and what to engage in from more of a
layman's perspective," said Riddle.

Oz Hutton, owner of Melange Liquid Catering, a mobile
bartending service, spoke on the effects of tastes and beverages on life and
making memorable moments. Becky Ivory, co-owner of the 3 Great Rights
Institute, spoke about changing beliefs in order to create a model of success
and overcome what she calls the "Terror Barrier" by discovering the
five steps for changing beliefs that hold one back, giving people the freedom
to embrace the life they've always wanted, to stop buying into limited beliefs
and start investing in liberating potential.

"It was an amazing conference," said Riddle. "I
feel that there was a real positive response."

Many attendees did seem pleased with the networking
opportunities and information they received through the program designed by
Women in Business board chair, Monica Gayden, and the rest of the committee.

"It's under her leadership that the program was put
together," Riddle said. "We just got such a great group of people
that put this thing on."

Exhibitors from 22 companies including presenting sponsors such
as the UCCC, America First Credit Union, Grifols Biomat Taylorsville were
available to provide information and resources for business implementation. The
Spring into Success conference began seven years ago and collaborated with
other chambers, and after a hiatus in 2016, redid the format and is now in the
second year doing it on their own.

"We'll expect it to continue on for many years to
come," said Riddle who was thrilled with the space and partnership with
the cultural center.